Well, I think they are deep roots in this. Not a fan of SM.79, but let me find some reasons:

Ares is an Italian company.

Whole game is strongly focus on European Theater right now. More than Pacific.

He.111 was a bestseller - another reason to stick to European Thater.

SM.79 joined BoB (once, true). After BoB Starter Set possible reason.

Andrea is developing torpedo rules.

And probably the most important: If you look on released minis, you would be surprised how many minis from Mediterranean Thatre were released. When a "newbie" started with a WGS he bought what was available that time - just Mediterranean. Surprisingly it gaves to him a lot of possible minis.

Once more, I am not a fan of SM.79, I would like to see Wellington more than anything else, but these reasons I can see right now. I guess they will turn to Pacific more after releasing Midway Starter Set (already announced, unofficialy).

I, too, have always liked the SM79 - lots of great color schemes available for it, too, for repaints. But I like the other planes coming out in the release, as well...looking forward to the Dornier night-fighter version, especially...

Interesting perspective that didn't come into my mind before - thank you for it, commander.
Here in Central Europe we have more experiences with B-17 (Pilsen) and P-51 & P-47 (especially steam locomotive drivers). I remember when I was a boy my grandfather (born '29) told me a story how they observed Germans hiding Stukas in wood close to the airfield. And there in is a pair of German high boots that a German soldier changed with grandfather for common shoes in May '45 in our cellar.

Great news, Monse - thanks for digging out the pictures and information on the German half of the release - I can see several of these making their way into my collection. And then the Italians and Brits will follow...

Harry Materne, Matt56 and I were working in the Ares booth at Gen con this weekend running games. They had the bomber prototypes in a case. I asked the Ares staff and they were kind enough to open the case and let me get close up pictures of the airplanes. Roberto Di Meglio was in the booth when I was there. He said that these are rough pieces and they will be cleaned up for production. I took a picture of the underside of the one JU88 showing the torpedos.

I didn't look at them as closely as Jim did, but I wonder if they are planning on including both bombs and torpedoes in the box and allowing you to attach either or neither, just like they have done with the decals in the Battle of Britain recent releases? It would certainly be a nice way to handle things...

But seeing them in person up close was a real treat - I look forward to purchasing several when they come out.

Interesting that there appears to be bombs and torpedoes on the night-fighter version? Am I seeing this correctly?
Would a plane on a torpedo mission carry bombs, too? Or torpedoes on a night-fighter mission?

That's the underside of the green one pictured above it Mike - you can see the tail of the torp in the pic, so not a night-fighter.

Interesting that there appears to be bombs and torpedoes on the night-fighter version? Am I seeing this correctly?

Would a plane on a torpedo mission carry bombs, too? Or torpedoes on a night-fighter mission?

Originally Posted by flash

That's the underside of the green one pictured above it Mike - you can see the tail of the torp in the pic, so not a night-fighter.

OK. Images in order of appearance in Post #120 above:

WGS305A
Junkers Ju-88 A-1 Bomber Left Side (Note the light blue edges on the wings and around the fuselage/empanage where the decals stop)
Junkers Ju-88 A-1 Bomber Right Side

WGS205A
Dorrier Do-17 Z Bomber Left Side
Dorrier Do-17 Z Bomber Right Side

WGS205B
Dorrier Do-17 Z-10 Night-Fighter Left Side
Dorrier Do-17 Z-10 Night-Fighter Right Side

WGS305B
Junkers Ju-88 A-4 Torpedo Bomber Left Side (Note the black edges on the wings and around the fuselage/empanage where the decals stop)
Junkers Ju-88 A-4 Torpedo Bomber Right Side
Junkers Ju-88 A-4 Torpedo Bomber Underneath

Last edited by OldGuy59; 08-04-2019 at 10:19.

Mike
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
"Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59

I should be apologizing, not you, Jim. I jumped to an erroneous conclusion.

Might have something to do with the Bf-109 E-3 (IMHO, factory E-7s for sure, and potentially some E-4 field mods) and Hurricane Mk I fighters that ARES released for the Battle of Britain, that never had bombs on them.

Thank you for the images. They are awesome.

Mike
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
"Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59

Thank you for the great pictures, rep sent.
By any chance, has Roberto notified that the cleaning up would concern the Ju.88 A-1 and the missing decal around the tail and on the junction of the wing and fuselage, compared to the official picture of this model on Ares website ? https://www.aresgames.eu/games/ww2-w...unkers-ju88-a1

Thanks for the pics, chaps.
Now we know what NOT to buy at least. I mean the night and night torpedo versions. No nightfight and no torpedo rules so far, the minis will be useless.
Sorry for complaining on ARES policy again.

"We do not stop playing when we get old, but we get old when we stop playing."

I'm pretty sure the Germans did some night torpedo work, esp late in the war. None for the BoB though. No torpedo missions then at all.
Bombs are OK, as they did a fair amount of night intruder missions (until Hitler stopped them as a waste of resources, when they were doing good service disrupting the RAF bomber fields).

Karl

It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

A release is a release. I can see a lot of rework to make them acceptable here, but I have the elves to fill the gaps and match the paint,so bring them on. Something is better than nothing, it would be nice to get them before I lose use of my fingers though . . .

A release is a release. I can see a lot of rework to make them acceptable here, but I have the elves to fill the gaps and match the paint,so bring them on. Something is better than nothing, it would be nice to get them before I lose use of my fingers though . . .

What is the purpose of publishing game pieces that should be reworked at the very start?
I can hardly remember a game company publishing such expensive game pieces like night versions of the planes that are unplayable due to the lack of rules, while at the same moment the players community waits for years to get easily playable much cheaper toys? Of course I mean (as usual) Spit V, Bf 109F/G, Fw 190A, Corsair, Yak-3, Airacobra, Mc 202, MS 406...

"We do not stop playing when we get old, but we get old when we stop playing."

I totally agree my friend, I gave up thinking this was a ready to play game my first year in it, I now see it as a kits to be customized when ever they become available kind of hobby. My first mod to allow me to play was to replace the flattened rudder on my DRI . . .

A release is a release. I can see a lot of rework to make them acceptable here, but I have the elves to fill the gaps and match the paint,so bring them on. Something is better than nothing, it would be nice to get them before I lose use of my fingers though . . .

I might buy one just to get the cards etc but otherwise I will stay with the Zvesda JU88 which is a nice little model AND CHEAP! I'd save the Elves a lot of work if I were you David.

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. Winston S. Churchill

The elves would laugh to hear that! They did a scratch Ju-88 and poured a dozen in resin years ago, a month later the Zvevda kits came out, we did 6 of those in several colors and did another 6 in variations with long wings, torps, night radar etc. All are sitting in storage boxes, never played. This waiting game has killed off all the players in my realm, glad to see it's still alive out there somewhere . . .

The elves would laugh to hear that! They did a scratch Ju-88 and poured a dozen in resin years ago, a month later the Zvevda kits came out, we did 6 of those in several colors and did another 6 in variations with long wings, torps, night radar etc. All are sitting in storage boxes, never played. This waiting game has killed off all the players in my realm, glad to see it's still alive out there somewhere . . .

I've had lots of use from my Zvesda JU88,s. BoB bombing London, anti shipping Torpedo runs, fighter variations versus Beaufighters and Beaufort. It is a lovely little model!
I also had a similar experience when trying to identify and name all the German Destroyers at the battle of Jutland. Spent two years and many hours in the Imperial War Museum Library to finally get there only to see the full lists published in a Wargames Mag a week later! Annoying ain't it?
I do have the full 'Grand Flee't and 'High Seas Fleet' in 1:3000th scale put together back in the 70,s! Rarely been used, the odd Squadron here and there but never got to do Jutland.

Last edited by Rebel; 08-06-2019 at 03:05.
Reason: Spelling correction and additional info.

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. Winston S. Churchill